Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 22nd December 2024
Last updated
Sat 21st Dec 24 at
12:03PM
Very severe conditions due to widespread storm force northwesterly winds across the mountains. Frequent snow showers will come in off the sea, extending well inland and in some areas merging to give almost constant snow and whiteout for a few hours.
Storm force upland wind. Frequent snow; whiteout.
Northwesterly 55 to 75mph; particularly gusty near precipitation.
Arduous walking on lower slopes, whilst higher up severe wind chill and any mobility challenging, particularly near precipitation.
Frequent hail and snow
Snow showers, sometimes one after another, with risk of the precipitation more or less constant over a couple of hours, giving whiteout. From Ben Alder to southern Cairngorms NP: fewer showers, some dry periods.
Very extensive across the mountains; cloud base varying
Near precipitation cloud sometimes below 500m Monadhliath east to Cairngorms and Lochnagar, but breaks to 750m, perhaps 900m. Higher cloud base Ben Alder to southern Cairngorms NP, where mostly 600 to 1000m.
10%
Glimpses of sunshine, mainly Ben Alder east to southern Cairngorms NP. Very varied visibility, appalling or near zero in snow/blowing snow.
-2C, slight rise through day. Will feel as cold as minus 19C directly in the wind.
600m; will rise marginally through daylight.
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 23rd December 2024
Last updated
Sat 21st Dec 24 at
12:03PM
West later southwesterly; a lull to around 20mph morning, then strengthening toward 35 or by dusk 40mph.
Mostly small; but anticipate a change in afternoon to considerable wind chill and more strenuous walking.
Risk rain later in day
Rain, or temporarily snow or refrozen rain above 600m, spreading east afternoon - probably not reaching east of A9 until about dusk.
Confined to higher tops; highest cloud base south of Cairngorms
Cloud lifting to above 900 to 1100m for a few hours, and in Cairngorms NP may lift above 1200m. But risk deterioration as cloud fills in above 600-800m in precipitation toward dusk.
40%
Little or no sunshine as cloud thickens from west. Visibility excellent.
-2C rising to 0 to 2C toward or after dusk. Will feel as cold as minus 7C directly in the wind.
700m, starting to transition to above the summits toward evening.
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 24th December 2024
Last updated
Sat 21st Dec 24 at
12:03PM
Southwesterly 50 to 60mph.
Very difficult conditions where exposed on higher areas; significant wind chill and walking strenuous; balance/foot placement not easy.
Rain, mainly west of A9
Raining on and off west of A9. Progressively less wet east across Cairngorms NP; rarely raining near and east of Braemar.
Blanket of cloud across the mountains.
Cloud base widely 500 to 700m, although breaks to 900, perhaps 1050m on summits accessible from Deeside.
Less than 10%
Sunshine here and there lower slopes, most likely Deeside Poor visibility in rain, mostly very good or excellent Deeside.
7C. Will feel as cold as minus 9C where exposed to the wind
Above the summits.
A change in the weather pattern from Tuesday as high pressure progressively envelops Wales and England. Here (and also in S Scotland), extensively dry and the and progressively dropping, initially across Wales. Mild - although frost in valleys some nights. Still windy Scottish Highlands, here very mild with lying snow substantially melting. Rain frequent NW Highlands, and less so W Highlands. Further east little or no rain.